6.27.2009

TIT FOR TAT, AND THAT'S THAT

With Frank O'Rourke spending the game polishing his manager's automobile, the Tigers knew they had a fair shot to filibuster the Senators in today's finale. Harry Heilman would be out with a small injury, but Joe Judge was still serving ailment time on the Washington bench, and the one-sided pitching matchup featured Firpo Marberry against Rip Collins.

Yet things rarely come easy for the Detroit nine, and the first seven innings were a tight pitching affair, with the Tigers banging out four doubles for three runs and the Nats a Richbourg single and Sam Rice triple for two. Fans were settlng in for a mildly tense final two innings, the peanut throwers in the stands were down to their last dozen bags, and the late afternoon sun had tilted westward when Doc Prothro stepped to the plate with one out in the top of the 8th.

Collins got behind and walked him. The superlative Goslin then roped a gapper to left center which rolled for a triple to tie the game 3-3. Rice followed with a single, and Cobb hailed Dauss to the rescue—nearly always a foolhardy decision. Hooks proved his worthlessness right away as Tate doubled Rice to third. Peckinpaugh hit a sacrifice pop to put Washington ahead, and then Shirley singled for another score. Then Nats reliever Joe Martina, a homely fellow who seldom pitches but had taken over for Marberry after the 6th, doubled Shirley to third. That was it for Dauss and Lil' Stoner came in for his lumps. Richbourg got him first, lacing a 2-run triple to shockingly give the injury-riddled Senators an 8-3 lead. Navin denizens howled, stomped on their boaters and generally unleashed vocal bullets at every Tiger afield.

Manush flew out against Martina to begin the Detroit 8th, and then the heavenly forces of base ball finally intervened. Bassler singled. Al Wingo walked. Les Burke, our replacement for the auto-polisher, also singled to fill the sacks. Bucky Harris, the Washington player-manager who had been removed earlier after being plunked, strode to the hill and summoned Alan Russell, their only dependable relief man.

Today he was a wayward child. Bob Jones and Del Pratt singled. Blue knocked in a third run with a force-out, and Topper Rigney doubled home two more to ignite the gathering and re-tie the game at 8-8! Meanwhile, the Senators had yanked out Goslin, Prothro and Tate for lighter-hitting defensive men, a decision Harris would regret. With Herm Pillette back on the slab for another try, Nemo Leibold scratched a single to begin the 9th. He went to second on a wide pitch, but then Earl McNeely lined into a sudden double play to kill the budding rally.

Manush singled to start the Tiger 9th, and after two were out, Russell muffed a grounder hit right back to him, Bob Jones ripped a single past a diving Tommy Taylor at second and the game was over! By far the most exciting win of the year for us, it was also the most devastating for Washington. The Nats head down to League Park to try and lick their wounds and get healthy again, while the Tigers welcome in the recently torrid but currently flaccid Athletics.

WAS 001 100 060 - 8 13 2DET 010 110 051 - 9 14 1

Other American League games today:

YANKEES 17-17-0, at WHITE SOX 4-9-3A distinguished reader named Kevin G. has threatened to quit following this 1924 campaign altogether if his beloved Gothamites do not begin winning. Well Mr. G., your prayers have been answered for a day, as the long Bronxian nightmare finally ends at seven losses. Sad Sam Jones scatters nine Chicago hits while his bat-mates lay waste to Comiskey with a 4-homer attack. Wally Pipp gets it going with a blow off Robertson in the 2nd, and Ernie Johnson clubs a 3-runner the same inning to put the Yanks up 5-0. Before long it is 8-1, then 8-4 after a patented slapdash attack from Mostil, Falk, Hooper and Sheely. But this is the New Yorkers' day. Sad Sam Jones hits a solo shot, the Bambino barely misses one in the 4th then returns with two aboard against lefty Cvengros in the 7th. This time he propels the sphere just over the fence in right, his 15th of the year to tie Fournier. Ruth doubles home two more in the 9th to complete the onslaught, though having just four of these runs in the previous two games would have helped them immensely.

at INDIANS 7-11-0, ATHLETICS 1-4-0Sherry Smith goes out with an injury after hurling just two innings, but Dewey Metivier and James Edwards come to the resuce with seven phenomenal innings of work. Brower swats a homer for the second straight day, this time a pinch 3-run rocket off Rommel, and the Mackman have seemingly slumped again as they head into Navin Field.

RED SOX 10-17-2, at BROWNS 8-11-2 (11 innings)Urban Shocker is reduced to pulp by the Boston bats, as they battle back from 6-4 and 8-6 deficits to win in extra frames on hits from Picinich and Wambsganss. These two clubs have been spinning their wheels for weeks and never seem to have any batting or pitching consistency to brag of, but their contests are rarely dull.

4 comments:

Different is a nice way to put it. For years he was coined the "ugliest man in baseball." But he had nothing on one Don Mossi from the 1960s...http://eastwindupchronicle.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/02/6e_1.jpg